Iʼm staring out my window. The sky is steel grey sky and the rain is coming down in buckets. Its cold and dreary. As the afternoon progresses, the mercury is quickly dropping and snow, possibly up to 2 inches, is expected by early evening. Snow?? Already?? Itʼs only the first week of December!

Then suddenly it hits me! In a couple of short weeks Iʼll be in Panama, land of tropical rain forests, sun and sea. Itʼs time for our annual trip! I’m excited and eager, soon Iʼll be sitting on the veranda of Agua Blanca, drinking my morning coffee, listening to the musical sounds of the wild Chiriqui Viejo river, and the chatter of beautiful hummingbirds as they flit thru the trees. The temperature will be a refreshing 70ʼdegrees, the sun will provide twelve hours of light and I will be in paradise again.

I look forward to our trip to Agua Blanca every year. We spend all year creating beautiful gardens and outdoor rooms for our clients in Northern Virginia, but now at long last it is time to reconnect with my inner“zenity”. Thatʼs the part that gets lost living in the Beltway madness that is Northern Virginia.

Agua Blanca and Panama Birding Adventures is situated just outside the bustling Town of Volcan, near Cerro Punta,Volcan Baru and the Chiriqui Highlands. The Breadbasket of Panama. Fresh food, fresh air and time for a fresh perspective. Here at Agua Blanca there are no tweets, no textʼs, no phones…no problem!! Just me, our guests, the birds, nature and my camera.

Days are spent hiking through the lush Highland Cloud forest in search of the myriad of birds, including Tanagers, Euphonias, Honey creepers, Laughing Falcons, Hummingbirds and the elusive Quetzal, (who, by the way, I usually find). When Iʼm not looking up, the amazing orchids, tropical plants and dazzling array of beautiful flowers captures our hearts and soul.

Once we are recharged, there are plenty of adventures to occupy the days, we go to the beach, visit Carla’s stunning Heliconia Botanical Gardens, visiting the pre-Colombian petroglyphs, orchid trekking, hiking the volcano, exploring other birding sites, fishing, visiting the hot springs, or just going out to eat at one of the many local restaurants.

In the early evenings we sit on the veranda with a favorite beverage, and watch the fireflies light up the fields, between the river and our porch. Nights are spent star-gazing, at an unbelievable display in the night time sky. Then itʼs time to go to bed while the river lulls us to sleep, so we can get up and do it again!

We are excited to finally be able to share our little piece of paradise with other nature lovers. Come join us at Agua Blanca and Panama Adventures. We have a hammock all ready, with your name on it.